The only contemporary source which refers to Sappho's life is her own body of poetry, and scholars are skeptical of biographical readings of it. Later biographical traditions, from which all more detailed accounts derive, have also been cast into doubt. An Oxyrhynchus papyrus from around AD 200 and the Suda ... Read more

The only contemporary source which refers to Sappho's life is her own body of poetry, and scholars are skeptical of biographical readings of it. Later biographical traditions, from which all more detailed accounts derive, have also been cast into doubt.

An Oxyrhynchus papyrus from around AD 200 and the Suda agree that Sappho had a mother called Cleïs and a daughter by the same name. Two preserved fragments of Sappho's poetry refer to a Cleïs. In fragment 98, Sappho addresses Cleïs, saying that she has no way of obtaining a decorated headband for her. Fragment 132 reads in full: "I have a beautiful child who looks like golden flowers, my darling Cleis, for whom I would not (take) all Lydia or lovely..." These fragments have often been interpreted as referring to Sappho's daughter or as confirming that Sappho had a daughter with this name. But even if a biographic reading of the verses is accepted, this is not certain. Cleïs is referred to in fragment 132 with the Greek word pais, which can as easily indicate a slave or any young person as an offspring. It is possible that these verses or others like them were misunderstood by ancient writers, leading to the biographical tradition which has come down to us.

Fragment 102 has its speaker address a "sweet mother", sometimes taken as an indication that Sappho began to write poetry while her mother was still alive. The name of Sappho's father is widely given as Scamandronymus, he is not referred to in any of the surviving fragments. In his Heroides, Ovid has Sappho lament that, "Six birthdays of mine had passed when the bones of my parent, gathered from the pyre, drank before their time my tears." Ovid may have based this on a poem by Sappho no longer extant.

Sappho was reported to have three brothers; Erigyius (or Eurygius), Larichus and Charaxus. The Oxyrhynchus papyrus says that Charaxus was the eldest but that Sappho was more fond of the young Larichus. According to Athenaeus, Sappho often praised Larichus for pouring wine in the town hall of Mytilene, an office held by boys of the best families. This indication that Sappho was born into an aristocratic family is consistent with the sometimes rarefied environments which her verses record.

A story given by Herodotus and later by Strabo, Athenaeus, Ovid and the Suda, tells of a relation between Charaxus and the Egyptian courtesan Rhodopis. Herodotus, the oldest source of the story, reports that Charaxus ransomed Rhodopis for a large sum and that after he returned to Mitylene, Sappho scolded him in verse. Strabo, writing some 400 years later, adds that Charaxus was trading with Lesbian wine and that Sappho called Rhodopis Doricha. Athenaeus, another 200 years later, calls the courtesan Doricha and maintains that Herodotus had her confused with Rhodopis, another woman altogether. He also cites an epigram by Posidippus (3rd c. BC) which refers to Doricha and Sappho. Based on this story, scholars have speculated that references to a Doricha may have been found in Sappho's poems. None of the extant fragments have this name in full but fragments 7 and 15 are often restored to include it. Joel Lidov has criticized this restoration, arguing that the Doricha story is not helpful in restoring any fragment by Sappho and that its origins lie in the work of Cratinus or another of Herodotus' comic contemporaries.

The Suda is alone in claiming that Sappho was married to a "very wealthy man called Cercylas, who traded from Andros" and that he was Cleïs' father. This tradition may have been invented by the comic poets as a witticism, as the name of the purported husband means "prick from the Isle of Man."

The only contemporary source which refers to Sappho's life is her own body of poetry, and scholars are skeptical of biographical readings of it. Later biographical traditions, from which all more detailed accounts derive, have also been cast into doubt. An Oxyrhynchus papyrus from around AD 200 and the Suda ... Read more

The only contemporary source which refers to Sappho's life is her own body of poetry, and scholars are skeptical of biographical readings of it. Later biographical traditions, from which all more detailed accounts derive, have also been cast into doubt.

An Oxyrhynchus papyrus from around AD 200 and the Suda agree that Sappho had a mother called Cleïs and a daughter by the same name. Two preserved fragments of Sappho's poetry refer to a Cleïs. In fragment 98, Sappho addresses Cleïs, saying that she has no way of obtaining a decorated headband for her. Fragment 132 reads in full: "I have a beautiful child who looks like golden flowers, my darling Cleis, for whom I would not (take) all Lydia or lovely..." These fragments have often been interpreted as referring to Sappho's daughter or as confirming that Sappho had a daughter with this name. But even if a biographic reading of the verses is accepted, this is not certain. Cleïs is referred to in fragment 132 with the Greek word pais, which can as easily indicate a slave or any young person as an offspring. It is possible that these verses or others like them were misunderstood by ancient writers, leading to the biographical tradition which has come down to us.

Fragment 102 has its speaker address a "sweet mother", sometimes taken as an indication that Sappho began to write poetry while her mother was still alive. The name of Sappho's father is widely given as Scamandronymus, he is not referred to in any of the surviving fragments. In his Heroides, Ovid has Sappho lament that, "Six birthdays of mine had passed when the bones of my parent, gathered from the pyre, drank before their time my tears." Ovid may have based this on a poem by Sappho no longer extant.

Sappho was reported to have three brothers; Erigyius (or Eurygius), Larichus and Charaxus. The Oxyrhynchus papyrus says that Charaxus was the eldest but that Sappho was more fond of the young Larichus. According to Athenaeus, Sappho often praised Larichus for pouring wine in the town hall of Mytilene, an office held by boys of the best families. This indication that Sappho was born into an aristocratic family is consistent with the sometimes rarefied environments which her verses record.

A story given by Herodotus and later by Strabo, Athenaeus, Ovid and the Suda, tells of a relation between Charaxus and the Egyptian courtesan Rhodopis. Herodotus, the oldest source of the story, reports that Charaxus ransomed Rhodopis for a large sum and that after he returned to Mitylene, Sappho scolded him in verse. Strabo, writing some 400 years later, adds that Charaxus was trading with Lesbian wine and that Sappho called Rhodopis Doricha. Athenaeus, another 200 years later, calls the courtesan Doricha and maintains that Herodotus had her confused with Rhodopis, another woman altogether. He also cites an epigram by Posidippus (3rd c. BC) which refers to Doricha and Sappho. Based on this story, scholars have speculated that references to a Doricha may have been found in Sappho's poems. None of the extant fragments have this name in full but fragments 7 and 15 are often restored to include it. Joel Lidov has criticized this restoration, arguing that the Doricha story is not helpful in restoring any fragment by Sappho and that its origins lie in the work of Cratinus or another of Herodotus' comic contemporaries.

The Suda is alone in claiming that Sappho was married to a "very wealthy man called Cercylas, who traded from Andros" and that he was Cleïs' father. This tradition may have been invented by the comic poets as a witticism, as the name of the purported husband means "prick from the Isle of Man."

Children astray to their mothers, and goats to the herd,Sheep to the shepherd, through twilight the wings of the bird,All things that morning has scattered with fingers of gold,All things thou bringest, O Evening! at last to the fold.

like a goldenflowerI wouldn'ttake all Croesus'kingdom with lovethrown in, for her

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Don't ask me what to wearI have no embroideredheadband from Sardis togive you, Cleis, such asI woreand my motheralways said that in herday a purple ribbonlooped in the hair was thoughtto be high style indeed

but we were dark:a girlwhose hair is yellower thantorchlight should wear noheaddress but fresh flowers

Thou once didst leave almighty JoveAnd all the golden roofs above:The car thy wanton sparrows drew,Hovering in air they lightly flew;As to my bower they winged their wayI saw their quivering pinions play.

The birds dismissed (while you remain)Bore back their empty car again:Then you, with looks divinely mild,In every heavenly feature smiled,And asked what new complaints I made,And why I called you to my aid?

What frenzy in my bosom raged,And by what cure to be assuaged?What gentle youth I would allure,Whom in my artful toils secure?Who does thy tender heart subdue,Tell me, my Sappho, tell me who?

Though now he shuns thy longing arms,He soon shall court thy slighted charms;Though now thy offerings he despise,He soon to thee shall sacrifice;Though now he freezes, he soon shall burn,And be thy victim in his turn.

Raise high the beams of the raftered hall,(Sing the Hymen-refrain!)Ye builders, of the bridal-dwelling!(Sing the Hymen-refrain!)Lo, the bridegroom comes, as the War-god tall —(Sing the Hymen-refrain!)Now nay — yet our tallest in stature excelling;(Sing the Hymen-refrain!)For stately he towers above all the throngAs the Lesbian singer towers amongAll alien poets, a prince of song.

O happy bridegroom! it cometh to-day,The bridal thine heart hith longed for aye!At last shall she be thine own, the maidFor whom thou hast sighed, for whom thou hast prayed.For none other maiden beneath the skies,O bridegroom, was like unto her in thine eyes.Whereunto may I liken thee, bridegroom dear?To a green vine-shoot in the spring of the year.Now, now let the bridegroom rejoice, for the brideInto the hall cometh joyful-eyed.Ethereal-pale is her lovely face.Hail, bridegroom! Hail, bride, queenly in grace!How goodly to see thy lord stands there!And his goodness will keep him for thee ever fair.Ah, doth she, ah doth she regretfully brood? —Does her heart still yearn after maidenhood?Nay, not in this hour she cries:'Maidenhood, maidenhood, whither awayForsaking me?'While maidenhood replies:'Not again unto thee shall I come for aye,Not again unto thee!'No more, no more doth she chantProud young virginity's vaunt:'As the sweet-apple flames on the tip of a spray against the sky,At its uttermost point, which the gleaners forgat, and passed it by —O nay, they forgat it not, but they could not attain so high.'But she thinks of the fate, an evil thing,That the years fast-fleeting to fair maids bring.When the roses are faded, the gold turns grey.And the smoothness is furrowed, as singeth the lay —'As the hyacinth-flower on the mountain-side that the shepherds treadUnderfoot, and low on the earth its bloom dark-splendid is shed.'Lo, her hand into thine hath her father given.And thou leadest her home 'neath the Star of Even;To thy portal the bridal-train draws near.And the Chant Processional rings out clear:'Hail, Hesper, who bringest home allThat radiant Dawn scattered wide,Bringest back unto fold and stallThe sheep and the goat, and thy callBrings the child to the mother's side.Let the rose-ringed Star of the EvenfallUsher thee on, love's willing thrall,Bride, garden of loves like roses blowing.Bride, loveliest image of Paphos' Queen!So pass to the bride-bower, pass withinTo the nuptial couch, for the sweet bestowingOn the bridegroom, whose measure is overflowing.Of the bliss, wherein honoured is Hera: 'tis ownedOf the Marriage-goddess, the silver-throned.'

O Hesperus, thou bringest all good things--Home to the weary, to the hungry cheer,To the young bird the parent's brooding wings,The welcome stall to the o'erlabored steer;Whate'er our household gods protect of dear,Are gathered round us by thy look of rest;Thou bring'st the child too to its mother's breast.